Following the deregulation of the Baking Industry in South Africa, the baking industry has since then burgeoned into a highly competitive, cut-throat industry, where survival depends on market share. As a direct result of the government's deregulation of the Bread Industry, all bread producers were forced to review their business strategies and consumer relationships, in order to survive. With an industry characterised by low margins and the notoriously low levels of brand loyalty, the challenges facing industry players in terms of strategy implementation and consumer focus has necessitated a re-look at the way businesses in the Industry operate. This study examines the factors influencing consumer behaviour in respect of bread purchases at Albany Bakeries Gauteng, with the aim of getting a deeper understanding of the drivers, of such behaviour. The study also critically examines Albany Bakeries current strategy to determine if the strategy is best suited to ensure market growth and consumer satisfaction With no formal research having been done on this subject matter, the purpose of this study is to deepen understanding, of consumer behaviour and to provide Albany Bakeries with meaningful insights in this regard. The knowledge gained from this research will help Albany Bakeries make more informed decisions and to support key marketing decisions, going forward The primary objective of this study is to determine the factors influencing consumer behaviour in respect of bread purchases at Albany Bakeries Some of the secondary objectives of this study included the determination of the strategic priorities of Albany Bakeries in relation to keeping consumers satisfied, the determination the drivers of consumer behaviour in respect of bread purchases and the determination to ascertain whether Albany Bakeries was consumer centric. IV This research study is exploratory in nature, to gain insight into the research problem. An extensive investigation into the relevant literature was done. An empirical study was also conducted and the measuring instrument consisted of a self - administered questionnaire. The population selected consisted of bread consumers from the Germiston (East Rand), Pretoria, Randburg and the West Rand geographical areas. The major findings indicated that Albany Bakeries dominates the Gauteng bread market with its product differentiation strategy. The research results indicate that product freshness and taste are the category passport factors and the major influencing decisions when making a purchase. In a deceptively complex and cut throat industry, Albany's product innovation is a key success factor Other main conclusions were also drawn. Albany Bakeries was seen to be consumer centric, with an admirable high level of consumer satisfaction. It was, inter alia, recommended that Albany Bakeries create more brand awareness by increasing the familiarity of the brand through repeated consumer exposure. It is also recommended that Albany Bakeries implement a programme to measure customer satisfaction, on an ongoing basis and to have available a mechanism to translate what customers want into information that can be usable for managerial decision making purposes. Based on the findings, the research study concludes with various recommendations, which provide direction for future research. / Thesis (MBA)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2006.

De senaste tio åren har det skett en stor ökning av monetära gåvor till humanitära hjälporganisationer i Sverige. Trots att de monetära gåvorna har ökat, har behovet ökat i större utsträckning. Just nu pågår konflikter eller allvarliga kriser i 27 länder runt om i världen och 89,4 miljoner människor är i behov av hjälp. FNs sökta summa för att möta dessa människors behov är 11 miljarder dollar mer än vad de efterfrågade för fem år sedan. Förutom detta innebär akuta kriser, likt vid tsunamin år 2004 att det sker närmast explosionsartade ökningar av spontana gåvor till hjälporganisationer. Även om dessa gåvor är viktiga för organisationerna innebär regelbundna gåvor en större möjlighet för planering och flexibilitet Detta faktum innebär att det är av stor vikt att öka antalet regelbundna givare. Studier har visat vad det är som gör att en individ väljer att skänka pengar till en hjälporganisation eller inte. Däremot saknas det vidare forskning kring olika typer av givare och deras eventuella skillnader. Enligt modellen Reasoned action approach kan en individs intention att utföra ett beteende härledas till individens attityd, subjektiva norm och upplevda kontroll över det specifika beteendet. Genom att ta reda på måtten på dessa samt intentionen går det sedan att förutspå samt förändra beteendet. Det faktum att spontana givare valt att stödja hjälporganisationer och deras arbete med monetära bidrag men ändå inte valt att teckna ett regelbundet givande gör att det är av intresse att undersöka vad som påverkar en spontan givares intention till att förändra sitt beteende. Således är studiens frågeställning: Vad påverkar en spontan givares intention att förändra sitt beteende och bli regelbunden givare? För att besvara frågeställningen och uppfylla syftet med studien genomfördes en kvantitativ undersökning i form av en enkät som distribuerats via sociala medier. Vid analysen av det empiriska materialet visade det sig att spontana givare inte har intentionen att börja skänka pengar regelbundet till humanitära hjälporganisationer i Sverige. Spontana givares attityd, subjektiva norm och upplevda kontroll över beteendet bidrar alla tre till deras intention. Det som till störst del bidrar till intentionen är deras upplevda kontroll över beteendet i form av känslan av att de kommer ha råd med regelbundna donationer samt att processen att tecknat ett sådant avtal är enkel. Denna information kan användas av hjälporganisationer för att öka antalet regelbundna givare.

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Most attempts by governments to reduce black market activity target the supplier rather than the consumer. The current thesis, however, sees reducing the willingness of the consumer to buy such goods as crucial in reducing the market. Over three studies, I examined variables that affected consumers buying from black markets and their perceptions of black markets. Study 1 (80 participants) confirmed the hypothesis that when the need to buy from a black market was for survival it would be considered more acceptable than to save money or to buy luxury goods. Study 1 further showed it was less acceptable to buy from the black market when the victim resulting from the purchase of the good was identified as an individual, rather than an organisation or society. Age and the gender of the consumer were also significant predictors of the rating of acceptability. In Study 2,65 participants completed a series of computer simulated scenarios to measure the price they would pay for different black market goods. Results indicate that the price participants were willing to pay for black market goods varied according to who the victim was (individual, organisation or society) and the participant's age and gender. Finally, in Study 3, 64 participants completed a similar task to Study 2, but some participants were informed about the true cost of black markets. Results confirmed the previous findings as well as indicating that the type of crime committed to procure the good and whether they saw information about the true cost of the markets also affected the price they would be willing to pay. The thesis concludes with suggestions for reducing black market activity.

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The term `quality' is regularly used by those who produce, promote and consume wine. However, the nature and features of wine quality are rarely explained. This study was designed to explore what drinkers consider to be the nature of wine quality and what they believe its features to be. Focus groups and individual and small group interviews were used to explore the conceptualisation and dimensions of wine quality, how that quality is assessed, and what its relevance may be. There were 105 informants, sourced from three states across Australia primarily by utilising friends and acquaintances of the researcher. Informants included consumers with a wide background of consumption practices and involvement levels, and also producers and those involved generally in the marketing, selling and promotion of wine. The study viewed wine as an aesthetic or quasi-aesthetic object and therefore also investigated drinkers' more general perceptions of the links between wine and other aesthetic products, placing the understanding of quality within that context.

This thesis investigates consumer perceptions of a Chinese luxury fashion brand in Sweden. The impact of nation brand image in terms of consumer buying behaviour and perception is examined by performing a case study of Shanghai Tang, comparing it to the American luxury fashion brand Ralph Lauren through the brands’ country of origin and brand history. Then a questionnaire is developed to analyse the luxury consumers’ perception of the Chinese brand Shanghai Tang and calculate the probability of customers purchasing luxury goods by Shanghai Tang. Finally, the future of Chinese luxury in Sweden will be discussed through an in-depth interview.